When the carriage passed by a place, there were many people lined up in front of the house, all of them were women.
"Don't be in a hurry to come one by one. First tell us your names, where you live, and how long you have been embroidering." From a distance, at the gate, there was a nanny sitting by the side door, holding a brush in her hand to register.
"Ruanruan, this is the embroidery workshop. Do you want to go in and take a look?" Zhao Chengqian lifted the car curtain, took a look at the situation outside and said.
"The interior is almost ready."
"Okay!" Ruanruan nodded.
She also contributed to this embroidery workshop and wanted to go in and see what it looks like now.
The two men got off the carriage. When the steward at the door heard the news, he immediately came out and saluted Zhao Chengqian and Ruanruan.
Zhao Chengqian took Ruanruan's hand, stepped over the threshold of the embroidery workshop, and walked inside.
The yard of the embroidery workshop is very spacious, and it is filled with various weaving shuttles, spindles, several large water tanks and other tools.
The steward introduced them, "Prince, young genius doctor, we just arranged all these things today and haven't had time to sort them out yet. When we start construction in a few days, all these things will have to be used."
"Go inside. It's warm and everything is ready."
The steward led them inside.
The main hall of the house was spacious and bright. Textile tools and wooden frames for embroidery were placed at the top. Textile frames and stools were placed in rows below. Ruanruan counted and found that about thirty people could be seated.
There was a charcoal fire burning in the room, so it wasn't very cold and was very clean.
"The things here were all checked by the princess herself." said the steward.
"Even the food that everyone needs in the kitchen has been laid out by the princess."
Ruanruan nodded, "This way everyone can work here with peace of mind."
Just then there was a noise outside the door, and the sound could be heard inside.
"Why can't I go in and work?"
"That's right, why can't my little girl go to work? Didn't they say they are hiring women here?"
"What do you mean?"
The steward paused and said nervously, "My Lord, little doctor, please allow me to go out and take a look..."
Zhao Chengqian waved his hand, "Go ahead."
Ruanruan looked at the butler's back and tugged at Zhao Chengqian's sleeve, "Let's go and take a look too."
Zhao Chengqian nodded: "Okay."
——
Several elderly women at the door shouted at the top of their voices:
"Why not? My San Ya is probably working at home. She washes clothes for all ten people in the family and cooks meals by herself. She also has to take care of two nephews and three nieces on weekdays."
"That's right, my little Wu is the same, hardworking and able to endure hardships. She can do any work you have on her own!"
"This is against the rules. What we want this time is an embroiderer who can embroider." The person who was in charge of registration said in embarrassment.
"It's just embroidery, it's not that difficult. My San Ya has been very smart since she was little and learns things very quickly. As long as you are willing to teach her, she will be able to learn it in no time."
"Yes, my daughter is the same. She is very smart and can do her work very well. It's just embroidery, she can learn it too."
The person registering was in a dilemma. He glanced sideways at the steward who came out and said, "Sir, this..."
"Stop arguing. We are all following the palace rules. No matter how good your child is, it's useless to you. Didn't you see what's written in our notice?"
As soon as these words were spoken, a woman slapped the child next to her in the face, saying, "You are useless! What's the point of raising you? All you do is eat all day long, and you don't even know how to earn money for the family."
"I'll find you a good family in a few days, and marry you off as a child bride! You won't have to waste food at home. You can feed it to the pigs and get meat in return at the end of the year, but you've got nothing. I've raised you for so many years in vain."
"We told you to learn some embroidery at home, but you just couldn't learn it. You don't know how to do anything and gave birth to a little bastard like you, and you don't even know how to share the burden of the family!" The women took their anger out on the child.
"Now even your father and your brothers have gone to work, and you are the only one who has the least time at home. Just wait until they come back and they will punish you and even sell you off. Don't blame your parents for being cruel!"
The ten-year-old girl knelt on the ground, crying and begging, "Please give me a job. I'll be a maid in there, or anything else, as long as I can do it."
The steward narrowed his eyes and said, "Hey, how could that be? Our princess said that anyone who knows a little embroidery will do. Why can't you understand what I'm saying?"
"Brother Xiaogan, what does child bride mean?" Ruanruan scratched her head and suddenly asked.
This is a very unfamiliar word to me.
The steward heard the soft voice, turned around to look at Zhao Chengqian and Ruanruan, and immediately bent down to salute and said:
"Prince, Little Miracle Doctor, why did you come here? It's too chaotic here, why don't you go to the farm?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the two people.
"Please, Prince, and the young doctor, give me a chance!" The little girl knelt on the ground and kowtowed twice.
The soft and chubby little face looked a little serious. He looked up at the person on the ground and stroked his forehead.
"Miss, there will be work, so you should get up first."
As she pondered, she said, "Uncle Jin Wang will be able to plant crops soon. You can all go and help."
"There will be a lot of work to do in the future. This is just the beginning, so don't worry!"
Zhao Chengqian glanced at the people around him and said loudly, "Ruanruan is right. The embroidery workshop has just opened. When the time is right, we will need a lot of manpower. You just need to wait patiently."
"If you have time, you might as well practice embroidery more. The wages of an embroiderer are higher than those of an ordinary maid."
Upon hearing this, the steward said, "You've heard what the prince and the young doctor have said. Why don't you believe it? Why don't you go home and let your child learn embroidery, and come back when the embroidery workshop needs someone."
"Why are you so anxious to beat the child? There is so much work in Qingzhou right now. The prince and princess must have other plans. Just wait patiently. Your child will not be left without you."
"That's enough!" The woman bowed and smiled.
"Go back, go back and learn embroidery well, little girl."
She turned to look at the little girl on the ground, yanked her up fiercely, and shoved her, "Hurry back and cook! What's the point of crying?"
After the women with children dispersed, she gently tugged at Zhao Chengqian's clothes and said, "Brother Xiaogan, if we say this, that young lady shouldn't be sold or beaten again, right?"
She knew that the living conditions at Brother Xiaogan's place were very poor, and that people were often beaten and sold.
My uncle said that their abilities are very weak and they can only try their best to protect those who can be protected.
The young lady is very pitiful, but Ruanruan can’t help everyone, so I can only say this!
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